Simple Steps to the Social Web

The social web can be an overwhelming place: MySpace, Facebook, blogging, Twitter, Digg, Delicious, Yammer, Yelp, OMG WTF?  If you don’t “get” all this stuff, don’t worry you are not alone. I know countless people who don’t work in technology or marketing and are thus not exposed to what my wife refers to as “all that social stuff like Facebook” in their daily lives. I also often find that a lot of people over forty aren’t naturally comfortable in the new online social environments.

 

I’m writing a series of articles for these people - those who want a basic understanding of the social web and how they can use it for business and their personal lives. If you’re already a social maven, these articles may be useful as online resources you can forward to your less digitally astute connections.

 

While writing the “Simple Steps to the Social Web” series, various topics will arise that are important across the entire social web. I will cover these topics in short call-out tips entitled ^Social Lights.

 

I look forward to helping you better understand today’s online world; and I hope to help you start leveraging the social web to your benefit. I encourage you to be patient and not get overwhelmed. Remember that all great journeys begin with a single step.

Family Fun Camping at San Clemente, California

Ayrton and I had a great adventure camping out at San Clemente State Beach in Southern California. We flew out non stop from Austin to Long Beach on JetBlue. I just love the roomy leather seats and direct tv. Next we picked up a rental RV from 1st Choice RV in Irvine (ask for Doug).  Our last stop for preparation was Trader Joes for all our supplies. Man I miss this store. I sure hope they open one up in Austin someday soon.

Ayrton and I got to our camp site and settled in to our little home on the road. Our 24 RV was quite spacious - and the pop out made it even moreso. We went on a nice little hike down to the the beach. There were lots of neat caves in the cliffs and the Amtrack Surfliner train passed by frequently.  It's neat to watch the train along the beach. It brought back many memories of camping here as a child with my family each summer.

We had the pleasure of spending time with lots of family and friends during our visit. My sister Tammy, brother-in-law Rick and nephew Korye made the trip down from Tehachapi. They stayed the night with us at our camp site. My uncle Jesse and aunt Juanda came down the next morning and shared some great stories about my father while we snacked on fruits and cheeses.

Later that day, Ayrton's uncle Ricky came down with his boys. Their timing was perfect as the sun came out from the coastal eddie behind which it had been hiding all weekend. We all had a blast playing in the sun and surf for hours. We even had a chance to bury Ayrton in the sand.

We all thoroughly enjoyed the amazing sunset. That night after dinner, we capped of a great little vacation with smores around the camp fire. Life is good.

Happy 70th Birthday Mom!

Today was a wonderful celebration of Judy Logan's life so far. More than two dozen friends and family came from far and near for mom's 70th birthday party. It was hosted at the beautiful home of Tammy and Rick Scott in Tehachapi, California. Christine, Ayrton and I flew in from Austin, Texas for the big event.

Special family guests included Judy's brother Jim and his wife Billie, Peggy, Philip and Olivia. Many of mom's friends from church and the community also joined the party. The festivities included live music, great conversation, swimming and fantastic food. Christine and Ayrton even brought a brisket from the Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas.

Everyone had a great time, young and old alike. While the older generation shared life stories and pictures of their grandchildren, the younger crowd like Ayrton, Korye, Trisha, Tyler enjoyed the pool, video games and guitar playing. The youngest in the crowd had so much fun, she had to take a little break.

The next day a few of us headed out to Cummins Valley for a visit to Tehachapi Wine & Cattle Company. Mom, Tammy, Christine and I enjoyed the wine tasting that featured slections from Tehachapi, Antelope Valley and Paso Robles on the nearby Central Coast. This little winery is owned by great people with a lot of charm.

Weekend at Galveston, Texas

Ayrton, Reese, Christine and I enjoyed a weekend stay on Galveston, Texas just days before the horrible destruction of hurricane Ike devasted the island. This picture serves as a sad reminder of what was. Our hearts go out to all the residents of Galveston.